Green Ambassadors Honoured at Andhra LiFE Summit
Support for the event also came from various state departments, academic institutions and civil society organisations.
Vijayawada:Distribution of the Andhra Green Ambassador Awards, recognising outstanding contributions to conservation, marked the conclusion of the two-day Andhra LiFE for Nature Summit here on Wednesday.
The summit, with focus on the theme “Sahaja – Jeevan – Vidhanam: Mainstreaming LiFE for a Regenerative Future in Andhra Pradesh,” brought together policymakers, conservationists, media leaders and institutions to chart a roadmap for climate-resilient and nature-aligned development in the state.
The awards were presented to Komera Anka Rao for his dedicated service and advisory role in Nallamala forest and environmental protection and Soundarya Manohari Velamati for her leadership in community-led ecological restoration through the Grama Deep Trust.
Organised by CMS VATAVARAN in collaboration with the Habitats Trust, the summit was supported by the Ministry of Environment, IUCN’s NatureForAll initiative, UN Environment Programme and the World Food Programme.
Support for the event also came from various state departments, academic institutions and civil society organisations.
The second day featured a high-level multi-stakeholder dialogue on “Enabling LiFE through Partnerships,” underlining the need for coordinated efforts among communities, institutions and the media.
Director general Vasanti Rao of CMS VATAVARAN, said the summit marked a shift from dialogue to implementation, stressing that ideas must now translate into collaborative action. SL Santhosh of the Habitats Trust highlighted the importance of taking technology to the grassroots level to empower communities as custodians of biodiversity.
Former PCCF and chief wildlife warden, Nalini Denduluri, former PCCF and chief wildlife warden, AP, emphasised that development and ecology must progress together. Alapati Suresh, chairman of the C Raghavachari Media Academy, called for stronger public engagement to turn sustainability into a mass movement.
The summit concluded with a call to integrate ecological intelligence into governance, strengthen partnerships, empower communities and align development with long-term environmental resilience.